Energy and Protein Requirements of Growing Ducks in the Humid Tropics

ABSTRACT

Two experiments were conducted to determine the metabolisable energy (ME) and protein re requirement s of growing ducks in the humid tropics. In Experiment 1 (the scarter phase) three ME levels (1<9, 11.6 and 12.2 NJ/Kg) and three crude protein (CP) levels (18.0, 20.0 and 22.w.;) wcre fed to 54 ducklings from 7 to 28 days of age in a 3 x 3 x 2 factorial design. In Experiment I1 (the grower ~ h a s e ) , the 54 duckling used in Experiment 1 were mixed, randomized and fed diets that contained three ME levels (10.9, 11.6 and 12.2 MJ&) as in experiment I and three CP levels ( 14.0, 16.0 and 18.0;6) in a 3 x 3 x 2 factorial design from 4 weeks t c 14 weeks of age. In experiment I, there was no significant (P ) 0.05) energy by protein interaction for feed intake, body weight a t 4 weeks, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio considered.

However, dietary ME and .2P combined accounted for greater proportion of the variability observed in these four parameters than either ME or CP level acting independently. In experiment 11, there was significant (P < 0.05) energy by protein interaction for carcass dressing percentage but not for live-weight, iced intake, daily weight s i n and feed conversion ratio. However, the effects of and CP ievels combined accounted for greater proportion or the variability in feed intake and body weight a t 14 weeks, while ME Level ‘alone accounted for greater percentage of the variability in daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. CP Lcvcl done v:as responsible f o r the greater amount of v a r i a b i l i t y observed i n carcass dressing percentage, Dietary concentration of 12.2 M J MZ/~(G and 22.0% CP was found to support optimal growth r a t e s and feed conversion r a t i o s of the ducklings during the s t a r t e r period ( I – 4 weeks). An ME level of 12.2 MJ/Q i n combination with 16.aC CP level gave the optimal growth r a t e s and feed conversion r a t i o s from 4 – 14 weeks of age of the growing ducks. The findings indicate t h a t s t a r t i n g ducklin,ns ( 1 – 4 weeks of age) require more CP i n t h e i r d i e t s i n the humid tropics than similar genotypes of ducks i n temperate climate (17 – 20%).

However, t h e i r ME requirements did not appear to d i f f e r i n these two climates (11.75 – 12.97 N~/Kg). Besides, CP requirement of growing ducks ( 4 – 14 wccks of a p ) i n the humid tropics did not appear to be significantly different from those of similar genotypes of clucks i n temperate climates (15.5 – 18.0″/0) which however require l e s s T.1E (13.00 – 14.22 MJ&) i n t h e i r d i e t s than similar genotypes i n the tropical humid environments.

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